Disklavier

Just a brief note to let all know that batch 16 of piano roll 
midi files emerging from scanning by me and a number of others, 
is now uploaded.    It contains 231 titles as follows:

88n rolls - 127
65n rolls - 30
Ampico reproducing rolls - 4
A-Roll nickelodeon tunes - 22
Red Welte reproducing rolls - 47
Welte Licensee reproducing roll - 1

It may be accessed by clicking on:

http://members.shaw.ca/smythe/batch16.htm

or by clickable menu items off home page:

http://members.shaw.ca/smythe/rebirth.htm

Thanks to Alan Jackson, we now have a complete spreadsheet of 
all 2500+ midi files uploaded since day 1.    It is also 
available off this page as a clickable item. 

This group of uploaded roll scan midi files includes a large 
number emerging from rolls in desperate condition, once again 
reinforcing the need to protect and preserve the content of 
rapidly decaying century old piano rolls.     

Stay tuned, as many more coming in the batches ahead.

Enjoy!

Regards,

Terry Smythe


Terry Smythe                           204-832-3982 (land line)
55 Rowand Avenue                   204-981-3229 (cell)
Winnipeg, MB, Canada   R3J 2N6           smythe@...
Preserving our Musical Heritage
http://members.shaw.ca/smythe/rebirth.htm

Terry,
 
I have downloaded Batch 16 and will check them out in the next few days.  
Many thanks to you and all the others who have contributed.
 
I have about 60 O-Rolls and about the same number of Caliola rolls that I  
would like to have scanned at some point. They are mostly copies and in good  
shape, but probably won't last long in the Miami humidity. So any suggestions  
will be welcome. No hurry.
 
Fritz

On 26 Feb 2005 at 13:27, Freehold Computer Training wrote:

> I never realized that Chopin and some other great composers
> performed and created some piano rolls. Or was Chopin's piece
> performed by someone else "as if Chopin" performed it? 

Around the turn of the century (~1915-1930), the legendary 
masters of the piano were offered the opportunity to record 
their performances on a disk or on a paper roll.    

Phonographs of that era produced playback quite disappointing to 
the ear of an artist, albeit quite satisfying to the ears of the 
buying public.

Conversely, recording for piano rolls made it possible for such 
artists to hear a reperformance of their own artistic styles in 
a very authentic manner on a "reproducing" piano.    From their 
viewpoint, very satisfying.

Conventional player pianos typically "play" a piano roll with 
nothing more than a melody line, sustain and sometimes soft 
pedal effects.    Expression could be introduced by the owner by 
the manner in which they pedalled the bellows.    

Reproducing pianos are sophisticated forms of player pianos 
having the ability to faithfully "reproduce" the expression and 
intent of the original artist.     Piano rolls aimed at such 
pianos have additional dynamics coded into their margins.    

A well-restored reproducing piano is the next best thing to 
bringing Rachmaninoff, and his professional artistic colleagues  
of that era, back to life to perform for you personally, 
privately, in the warmth and comfort of your own living room.    
It is truly magnificent.    

That's the up-side.   The down-side was their price - typically 
about $1,000, no contest against a $20 phonograph.

Chopin, Liszt and other such piano composers and artists pre-
date the development of the player piano.     However, their 
compositions were routinely performed a century ago under a 
recording contract, no differently than contemporary recording 
artists today.    

Little did these legenday masters know at the time that their 
authentic piano artistry was being preserved for all time 
through the magic of the reproducing piano.     In recent years, 
the Disklavier and its contemporary competitors are providing a 
genuine rebirth of the player piano.

Hope this helps a little to shed some light on a unique slice of 
our musical heritage.

Regards,

Terry Smythe

Terry Smythe                           204-832-3982 (land line)
55 Rowand Avenue                   204-981-3229 (cell)
Winnipeg, MB, Canada   R3J 2N6           smythe@...
Preserving our Musical Heritage
http://members.shaw.ca/smythe/rebirth.htm